Table-leaf support



(No Model.) I

J. P. WOLF & G. IFPLAND.

TABLE LEAP SUPPORT. No. 331,857. Patented De0.-8, 1885.1

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UNITED STATES- PATENT @FHCE.

JOHN P. \VOLF AND GEORGE IFFLAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TABLE-LEAF SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,857, dated December 8, 1885.

Application filed September 8, 1884. Serial No. 142,540. (No model.)

To all 1071,0122, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN P. W'OLF and GEORGE IFFLAND, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and citi zens of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Table-Leaf Supports, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is avertical section showing the tableleaf down. Fig. 2 is a section at line a: of Fig. 1, looking o the right. Fig. 3 is asection through a table at the point 3 with the leaf open, the support being shown mostly in elevation. Fig. 4 is an under side view with the leaf open. Fig. 51's a modification. Fig. 6 is a modification. Fig. 7 is a detail.

The objects of our invention are to provide a table leaf support which will be self-acting when the leaf is opened, which can be easily released to let the leaf down, which will prevent the hinges from being strained by raising the leaftoo high, and which will hold the leaves securely in position when two tables are put together for shipping with the leaves open, as is customary, which we accomplish as illustrated in the drawings, in which A represents the top of a table; B C, an end and aside piece of the frame; D D, two short braces to support the piece 0.

E is a tableleaf.

a is an opening or slot in the piece C.

b is a piece of metal secured to the under edge of C, over the opening a.

F is a casting, which supports the leaf when open. One part of this casting, c, is curved from the free end to the bend d, as shown in the drawings, and is strong. The remaining portion of the casting, c, is somewhat thin and broad, so that it can have a little spring action. One end ofthe casting F is pivoted to the under side of the leaf E. This can conveniently be done by providing this casting with two pintles, f, one at each side, which enter recesses in 2; casting, g, secu red to the under side of the lea h is a slight projection cast upon the side of the casting F next to the table-leaf, which projection is designed to come in contact with the leaf, so that there will be a little space, i, between the remaining part of the fiat portion 6 of the casting F and the table-leaf E. Near the free end of the casting F is a notch, k, the walls of which stand ata slight angle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Z is a block on C, which serves as a stop for the leaf.

The operation is as follows: WVhen the leaf is down, the parts will occupy the position shown in Fig. 1, the leaf-support F resting near the bend d, upon or against the metal piece I), and the free end of the support being almost in contact with the under side of A, in which position the support F is entirely out of the way. Upon opening the leaf the leaf-support will slide along over the metal piece b, the flat portion of the support near the point (1' being brought nearly into contact with the under side of the leaf, and when the notch comes to the metal piece I) the spring action of the part c of the support will cause the notch to engage quickly with b, as shown in Fig. 3, in which position the leaf will be securely held by the support F. \Vhen it is desired to put down the leaf, it is only necessary to press upward upon the part c of the support until the notch is released from b, when the leaf may be allowed to fall.

The part c of the support has a spring action because it is comparatively thin, and because the projection h comes in contact with the under side of the leaf, leaving an open space, a, between the remaining portion of c and the leaf.

Instead of providing the casting F with the projection h to come in contact with the tableleaf, this part might be made smooth, and a small piece of rubber or wood might be secured to the leaf between it and the part c. In Fig. 5,111. is such a piece of rubber or wood, secured to the under side of the table-leaf, with which the part 6 comes in contact when the casting F is in place, and this piece in holds the part c at a little distance from the leaf, so that the part c will have the spring action before described.

By constructing the leaf-support as set forth and shown the requisite spring action is inherent in the body of its straight flat portion 6, intermediate the hinge and the curved portion 0, wherebyI am enabled to avoid the use of a separate spring between the table-leaf and the leaf-supportas, for example, a coiled spring between the table-leaf and an arm of the leafsupport which extends outward beyond the pivotal point of the support.

The play or movement of the pivoted end of the leaf-support mentioned is secured by mak It is customary to ship tables with the leaves.

open, one table being placed upon another. With our leafsnpport we hold the leaves firmly in position when soshipped.

The spring action oftlie part c of the support F might be provided for by slightly curving the part 0, so that the pivoted end Will be in contact, or nearly in contact, with the leaf of the table, while the other end of e will be at a little distance therefrom. This form is shown in Fig. 6.

If the outer wall of the notch It should be omitted, the leaf-support would still be useful and would have the spring action before mentioned; but it would not perform all of the functions described.

substantially the same as that specified, except that there would be no stop to prevent injury to the hinges, and, in shipping tables when placed together withthe leaves open, the support would not retain its position as firmly as when provided with the outer wall ofthe notch.

Its operation would be What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a table having a hinged leaf, E, and a side piece, 0, provided with a slot, (1, and attached piece b, crossing the-lowerend of the slot, of the leaf-support F, formed with the curved end portion, 0, having the notched extremity k, and the opposite straight and flat end portion, 6, hinged at its extremity to the leaf and formed of a reduced thickness, to produce inherent spring action in the leaf-support intermediate the hinge of the latter and the curved portion thereof, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a table having a hinged leaf, E. and a side piece, 0, provided with an attached piece, I), of the leaf-support F, havingthe curved end portion,c, provided with the notched extremity 7c, and the opposite v straight and flat end portion, 6, hinged at its extremity to the leaf and formed of a reduced thickness, to provideinherent spring action in the leaf-snpport intermediate the hinge of the latter and the curved portion thereof, substantially as shown and described.

JOHN P. \VOLF. GEORGE IFFLAND. 

